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You are here: MacNN Forums > Community > MacNN Lounge > Political/War Lounge > Revitalizing middle america: unpaving the parking lots

Revitalizing middle america: unpaving the parking lots
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andi*pandi
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Nov 10, 2020, 01:49 PM
 
Based on another thread about the midwest, thought this article about redesigning a mall space is a good idea.

https://www.pressherald.com/2020/11/...an-it-be-done/

In my town they are pushing "mixed use" development because they realize that having huge apartment buildings with no shops around means everyone has to have cars... so we have first floor grocery, dry cleaner, gym, and apartments above, and more green space too. Nice.
     
subego
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Nov 10, 2020, 02:12 PM
 
[Typical negative response from me to follow]

Is this what people want?

The whole point seems to be to make it more urban. Isn’t the idea of suburbs to get away from that?

If I’m in the suburbs, I preferably have my own grass in my own yard, not shared mall grass.
     
andi*pandi  (op)
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Nov 10, 2020, 03:52 PM
 
It depends on the area. The article is describing a mall, in an area that is mostly shopping, and no residential... so it's "urban" for maine, that is. Suburbs everyone has cars, and they have to, if the grocery store is 10 miles away.

I could walk to our grocery. Technically.
     
OreoCookie
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Nov 11, 2020, 01:48 AM
 
Originally Posted by andi*pandi View Post
It depends on the area. The article is describing a mall, in an area that is mostly shopping, and no residential... so it's "urban" for maine, that is. Suburbs everyone has cars, and they have to, if the grocery store is 10 miles away.

I could walk to our grocery. Technically.
We might end up just haggling over what suburban really means, but for me a suburban space is still dense enough so that the town/city center is within a, say, 2–4 km radius. You can cover 2 kilometers within 10 minutes on a bike. (I do this 5 times a week, twice a day, literally.) With an ebike you even take fitness out of the equation.

To me the question now is whether you would prefer to have a smaller supermarket nearby or a humongous supermarket that is 10 miles away. I have lived experience with both, and I strongly prefer the former. Add lots of greenery and you definitely improve the quality of life. Smaller shops add character rather than having all the standard shops (Gap, Cinnamon Bun, etc.) in a cookie cutter mall.
Originally Posted by subego View Post
[Typical negative response from me to follow]

Is this what people want?

The whole point seems to be to make it more urban. Isn’t the idea of suburbs to get away from that?
I don't think that's it. In Europe this is extremely common even in communities that are definitely not urban. So re-imagining suburban spaces like that makes sense and doesn't mean you are necessarily copying cities.

I'd say in many BIG cities the paths get longer. In Toronto we had to go for about 45 minutes to get to a cheap super market. I reckon for many the suburbs are a local optimum, which minimize the time it takes to go shopping, for your kids to go to school, etc.
I don't suffer from insanity, I enjoy every minute of it.
     
Waragainstsleep
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Nov 11, 2020, 05:09 AM
 
Welcome to Mega-City One.

I have plenty of more important things to do, if only I could bring myself to do them....
     
Doc HM
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Nov 11, 2020, 01:50 PM
 
Paris has been looking at these changes since 2007 when the Grand Paris plan was unveiled. In essence development is designed to create mini towns within the city that aim to have everything all citizens need within a 15 minute walk and prioritise walking and community over cars and through travel.
This space for Hire! Reasonable rates. Reach an audience of literally dozens!
     
OreoCookie
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Nov 13, 2020, 11:47 PM
 
Originally Posted by Doc HM View Post
Paris has been looking at these changes since 2007 when the Grand Paris plan was unveiled. In essence development is designed to create mini towns within the city that aim to have everything all citizens need within a 15 minute walk and prioritise walking and community over cars and through travel.
Yup, I have heard of those plans, and I am curious to see how it works out. Friends of mine who either live in Paris now or have lived there have the usual complaints, life is very expensive and you need to travel long distances to do everyday things like get to work or go shopping.
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Brien
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Nov 14, 2020, 02:19 AM
 
My gut feeling is that we will see more of this as more and more jobs go partially or fully work-from-home, self driving cars take off, and the continued death of brick and mortar retail combine in which I predict will be a commercial real estate apocalypse.
     
   
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